Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)

City of Frost

NOTE: City of Frost purchases water from City of Corsicana which is required to test for dichloromethane (methylene chloride). Sample information shown below was taken by City of Corsicana.

Methylene chloride is a common industrial solvent used for paint stripping, vapor degreasing, printing, electronics manufacturing and cleaning. It causes cancer and liver damage in animal studies. Read More.

Surface and groundwater can be contaminated with methylene chloride from industrial releases and landfill leaching. The EPA considers methylene chloride likely carcinogenic to people. Long-term ingestion of drinking water with methylene chloride contamination can cause liver damage and cancer. Occupational exposure to methylene chloride and other solvents has been linked with increased risk of miscarriage. Birth defects have also been observed in studies of laboratory animals exposed to methylene chloride during pregnancy.

Click here to read more about carcinogenic VOCs.

 

12

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND20ND
2019ND30ND
2020ND10ND
2021ND10ND
2022ND10ND
2023ND10ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 4 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 4 ppb for dichloromethane (methylene chloride) was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against cancer.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL): 5 ppb

The legal limit for dichloromethane, established in 1992, was based on analytical detection limits at the time that the standard was set.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

NOTE: City of Frost purchases water from City of Corsicana which is required to test for dichloromethane (methylene chloride). Sample information shown below was taken by City of Corsicana.

Date Lab ID Result
2018-07-17Q1828588001ND
2018-07-17Q1828588004ND
2019-07-29Q1948665001ND
2019-09-24Q1968203001ND
2020-09-16Q2037149001ND
2020-09-24Q2037862001ND
2021-07-14Q2118452001ND
2021-09-16Q2125446001ND
2022-08-23Q2224990001ND
2022-08-23Q2224990003ND
2023-07-31Q2330841001ND
2023-07-31Q2330841003ND